If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Are you only opposed to medication for issues that occur in the brain, or are all organs of the body also an issue? I take thyroid medication every day - am I being "labelled," or do I just need something that for whatever reason my body cannot produce? My husband takes cholesteral medication every day. Maybe he should just tough it out and die young like both of his parents? I get really really really tired of the prejudice against people who have issues with their brains. The only "labelling" taking place is from those who want to make people feel ashamed for having a disorder of the brain.

FYI, ADHD medication doesn't work if you don't have ADHD. ADHD is a disorder of UNDER stimulation in the brain, hence the need for a stimulant to make the connection that the brain can't make on it's own. If a child without ADHD takes the medication, they will bounce off the walls, contrary to many people's ignorant belief that it makes children zombies. By stimulating my son's brain to make that final connection, he can THINK, he can FOCUS, he can learn like any other child. Would you think to take prescription lenses away from a nearsighted child? Because that's what happens when you take away this very necessary chemical from children with ADHD.

I am pleased to see the other posters weigh in on the amazing transformation we have all seen in our children, and I thank the lord that science can help our children be the best they can be.

And FYI, I'm an excellent parent who loves my son more than life. It's pretty offensive that you assume that parents who do their homework and put their faith in Doctors are bad parents.

Allegro, I also saw your post on PNO. I'm so glad

life is getting better. I've made an appointment for my ds to get checked for ADD and our appointment is in April. I've delayed this since the first of the school year because I couldn't imagine giving my child drugs. But he is having such a hard time with school and paying attention. He is not stupid but he thinks he is and it's starting to affect his self esteem. He has a great teacher and we've been working together to help him. I don't want to do him a disservice by not getting him checked. I also recently found out that his 40 something cousin was medicated as a child for ADD. He discontinued the drugs while in high school and is doing fine and he's the most stable of DH's nephews.

Are you only opposed to medication for issues that occur in the brain, or are all organs of the body also an issue?
Pleaky

Actually, I didn't say I was opposed to medication. I said was was opposed to easy labeling and using the pharmacy as a quick fix. I stand by my belief that this happens too often in both children and adults.

To answer your question, My children are nearly 7 & 8 and have never taken a pharmaceutical drug. If they developed something that could only be remedied by a drug I surely would use that. I would most likely use chinese herbs before the latest and greatest drug on the market however.

I agree with this, for a large part, in terms of over-diagnosis and overmedicating in school situations. I am not at all opposed to meds and certainly they are a godsend for those who need them and when they work. But I am opposed to the fact that every IEP meeting I was ever in for the very brief time I taught elem. school, the sped teacher and/or the school psychologist suggested the parent talk to their pediatrician about meds. Often parents were shocked, distressed or vehemently opposed and I can't say that I blamed them!

Are you only opposed to medication for issues that occur in the brain, or are all organs of the body also an issue? I take thyroid medication every day - am I being "labelled," or do I just need something that for whatever reason my body cannot produce? My husband takes cholesteral medication every day. Maybe he should just tough it out and die young like both of his parents? I get really really really tired of the prejudice against people who have issues with their brains. The only "labelling" taking place is from those who want to make people feel ashamed for having a disorder of the brain.

FYI, ADHD medication doesn't work if you don't have ADHD. ADHD is a disorder of UNDER stimulation in the brain, hence the need for a stimulant to make the connection that the brain can't make on it's own. If a child without ADHD takes the medication, they will bounce off the walls, contrary to many people's ignorant belief that it makes children zombies. By stimulating my son's brain to make that final connection, he can THINK, he can FOCUS, he can learn like any other child. Would you think to take prescription lenses away from a nearsighted child? Because that's what happens when you take away this very necessary chemical from children with ADHD.

I am pleased to see the other posters weigh in on the amazing transformation we have all seen in our children, and I thank the lord that science can help our children be the best they can be.

And FYI, I'm an excellent parent who loves my son more than life. It's pretty offensive that you assume that parents who do their homework and put their faith in Doctors are bad parents.

Pleaky

Wow, Pleaky, well said. I know who to come to if I ever need help wording something!

Been thinking a lot about this discussion

I still stand by my belief that too often doctors slap a label on a kid and hand out medicine as an easy fix. That said, I never meant to imply that children that truly needed medication shouldn't be treated and those that have such a child are bad parents. In rereading what I wrote I see how that could be inferred.

My sister has a 17yo boy that she is having all kinds of problems with. They took him to a psychiatrist who labeled him as having adhd after a 1 hour conversation with my nephew and 2 hours with my sister and her husband. Gave a script for a drug. In my opinion that is utterly ridiculous. He has a new girlfriend and she is taking over his life because she is having sex with him and they are smoking pot.

That is where my post came from. I'm truly sorry to anyone I offended here.

Thank you for posting this

No one can even begin to understand how difficult it is to help a child with ADHD until they have one. It's an imbalance in the brain, not a bad parenting issue.

ADHD effects the entire family, not just the chilid who suffers with poor self esteem because they have no impulse control and cannot do what other kids in their class can do. My DS never got the brother he thought he would. As a family, we are unable to do many things because my DS can't sit still, can't focus.

Until you go to appt after appt and evaluation after evaluation and sit in a doctor's office and cry when they hand you the script, after years and years of trying to fix something unfixable (without meds), you just have no idea.

My ds is also adopted and was exposed to drugs and alcohol in utero. He has ADHD too. The difference between him on Vyvanse and not on it is incredible. You get to see the kid inside the kid. It is often hidden. Is it a cure all. No. We still have a lot of behavioral issues but at least we can work on them now because he is receptive. His body needs this drug. He knows he needs it too. Another advantage of the "label" is he is able to get classroom support and social skill lessons at school. He has some language issues that are also being addressed in the classrom. He would have nothing to help him without the label. So I'm perfectly fine with it.
k